Best Friend for a Day
by cries havoc
Summary: When Elphaba saved Galinda from a bad situation, Galinda tries to repay her. Chaos ensues. Pre-Oxdust. Mainly bookverse.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Plot bunny. That's all I have to say.

It was a beautiful day in Shiz and students were gathered in an open courtyard. The lovely Galinda Upland and several others from the most popular clique were auctioning themselves off to be someone's best friend for a day in order to raise money for some ball or another. Elphaba, Galinda's roommate, thought it absurd, especially since her class was on the other side of the courtyard and after ten minutes she still couldn't work her way through the crowd.

"Come now, Miss Galinda is next!" The host, another wonder golden girl, said loudly. Several students, girls of a lesser status, pushed to the front. Their dresses were fashionable but plainer than Galinda's blue gown.

Elphaba stopped fighting the crowd and watched to see which pathetic girl would win.

"Yes, we have ten, twenty, fifty! Do I hear one hundred dollars?" The host scanned the crowd.

"One hundred," a male voice rang out. Avaric, standing with Boq and some others, grinned, obviously proud of himself.

The crowd murmured nervously. It was entirely a different matter for a man to win and so far the winners had all been women.

Elphaba watched silently, remembering a night the week prior when Galinda had returned to their room complaining loudly of how lewd and downright creepy Avaric was. She wasn't his biggest fan by far either. It quickly became apparent that no one was going to challenge Avaric's bid.

"Going once?" The host sounded hesitant and unsure, but the rules of the contest stood. "Going twice?"

Galinda looked paler than usual and, glancing over, Elphaba saw Avaric's smug face. Cursing herself she shouted, "Two hundred!" cutting off the host's final call.

Everyone looked stunned. The green girl ignored them and tromped through the crowd, her boots loud on the paved sidewalk. She faced Avaric with a wordless challenge.

"Three hundred," he said, glaring at Elphaba.

"Five," she replied easily.

Galinda's gasp was audible to the assembled crowd. This was far more than anyone else had proposed during the contest. Avaric ground his teeth, his hands fisted at his side, but he said nothing.

The host called out that Elphaba had won. "Congratulations, Miss Elphaba, you shall have Miss Galinda as your best friend for a day."

Elphaba nodded and looked at her roommate. The blonde was awestruck, but gratitude shown in her blue eyes. Elphaba looked away and continued through the crowd to her class.

Jumping off the stage, Galinda ran after her green roomie. Grabbing Elphaba's arm she whispered, "Why?"

Elphaba shook her off. "Avaric is a creep."

"Yes, but you didn't have to—"

"I know that." Elpaba sighed harshly. "You don't deserve to be in a bad situation with him. Leave it at that." She walked away.

Galinda stood, confused and dismayed, wondering what she was supposed to do now. She owed Elphaba, surely, but how to repay her?


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Again, plot bunnies.

The next night, Galinda cornered Elphaba in their room. The green witch had been avoiding her roommate, knowing they were due for a conversation.

"Miss Elphaba," Galinda started, "can we talk?"

"We're talking now."

Galinda sighed, "That isn't what I mean and you know it." She crossed the room and sat on Elphaba's bed, arranging her skirts as she got comfortable next to the green girl.

Now Elphaba sighed. "I told you to leave it be, Miss Galinda."

"You did win, you know," Galinda said softly.

"What?" Elphaba did not look away from her book as she sat with her legs drawn up.

"You won the contest. I'm your best friend for a day."

"No."

"No?" Galinda frowned.

"No. I don't want the prize. You are free to spend the day with your regular friends," Elphaba said, turning a page in her book.

"My 'regular friends'? Are we friends then, Miss Elphaba?" Galinda found that she was not nearly as apposed to the idea as she thought she would be.

Elphaba was silent for a moment. "I suppose to some extent it unavoidable. We are roommates after all." She shrugged and resumed reading, hoping the conversation was over.

Galinda considered this as she took out one of her own books to study. The thought stayed with her for several hours. "Miss Elphaba?"

An exaggerated sigh answered her.

"If we are friends, shouldn't I treat you as such and visa versa?" Galinda sat on her pink bed in her pink dress and shoes with her ratty textbook and cleanly lined notebook, looking the picture of a pink student at work.

"You may treat me however you fancy. It doesn't matter to me." Elphaba made no move to stop reading or properly engage in the conversation.

"Maybe it should," Galinda said softly, returning to her own reading.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Not much to say. I want to re-read _Wicked_ now...

The next evening Elphaba sat in the library studying for her sorcery seminar with Madame Morrible. She hadn't seen Galinda all day and harbored some hope that her roommate had forgotten the silly business of being her friend. Though, the blonde's comment about caring how people treated her had stuck in the green girl's mind. It was a difficult concept for her, to consider caring again. Caring had never helped her before. She was green and people hated her for it. That was a simple fact.

Galinda stood watching Elphaba from a distance. She was thought all day about the other girl's assertion that perhaps to some extent, by default, they were friends. It made sense. They were roommates, after all. Perhaps… Galinda shook her head, confused. Elphaba was green and cold hearted. Though, Galinda considered, to be cold hearted meant that one had a heart, however mistreated.

Making up her mind, Galinda strode purposely to the table Elphaba was sitting at and put her books down. "Good Evening, Miss Elphaba."

Elphaba made no reply.

Not to be discouraged, Galinda sat and began studying. She was determined to try and befriend the green girl properly. She owed her this much, even if she appeared not to want it. Who honestly didn't want friends?

After nearly an hour, Elphaba sighed loudly. "What are you doing, Galinda?"

"Studying."

"Yes, I can see that and may I say I'm quite impressed. I mean, why are you studying with me?"

Galinda looked up, "Because we're friends. Friends do things together."

Elphaba frowned severely and Galinda reflected on the angular lines of her green face. She was beautiful under the green, Galinda realized. A warm flickered in her that she prompted ignored.

"We aren't friends."

"Elphaba, you said –"

"I know what I said," Elphaba said quickly. "That doesn't mean you have to—"

"Have to? Who said anything about obligation? Have you considered that I want to be here?" Galinda said challengingly.

"No."

"Well, you should. Because I do."

"I don't believe you." Elphaba narrowed her eyes. "It's much more believable that this is some sort of trick."

"I understand that," Galinda said, looking sad. "I've treated you horribly. Everyone has. You deserve better."

"Do I?"

This caught Galinda off guard. She considered it for a moment.

"You helped me when you didn't have to. That shows you're capable of some degree of compassion. More than I'd given you credit for. I underestimated you, Elphaba and I'm sorry for that." She was silent again briefly. "If I'm bothering you, as you're friend, I would understand and I would go, you know."

Elphaba knew this was her way out. "No. It's fine." She words were foreign on her tongue. "Stay."

Galinda smiled and returned to her studying. Elphaba shook her head and did the same.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: This one is quite short, but I nice set up I think, for the next few chapters.

Three days later at lunch, Elphaba saw Galinda eating with her other friends. The green witch observed that Galinda was almost always surrounded by people who adored her. Perhaps, she considered briefly, it was refreshing for the blonde to have someone to talk to who wasn't enamored with her. Elphaba was certainly her foil to some extent.

Galinda saw Elphaba watching her and filed the information away. She'd noticed her roommate paying more attention to her the past several days and found it startlingly, well, startling, to have the dark-eyed woman's attention focused on her. Elphaba had an intense look to her and in her and Galinda felt pierced by her gaze. Her heart raced for no good reason and her palms sweated when they talked. It was confusing and disheartening to be so affected by someone. Galinda imagined it must be how some people felt when they talked to her.

"Miss Galinda?" Milla asked, tapping the blonde.

"Yes?" Galinda turned back to her friends, abandoning her study of Elphaba's profile as the green girl ate an apple and read.

"Whatever were you staring at the green bean for?"

Everyone seemed to hang on Galinda's imminent answer. For her part, Galinda managed not to freeze up and merely shrugged.

"She intrigues me. After she saved me from that goon Avaric, I should owe her something. She refuses to hear of it and has simply dismissed the matter. Strange," she said airily, "that someone like her wouldn't deign to spend time with me. What a missed opportunity for her."

The assembled young women giggled.

"Maybe she'll change her mind," Pfannee suggested.

"Maybe…" Galinda spared her roommate another glance, but the green girl was gone from the cafeteria. Returning her thoughts to her friends, the blonde tried not to think about Elphaba for a while.

Elphaba's thoughts were similarly engaged with her roommate. The green witch was reconsidering Galinda's offer, if only to get the blonde to shut up about them spending time together. Elphaba reasoned that a day together wouldn't be terrible, especially if it means things would go back to normal. Deciding to talk to Galinda about it after dinner, she continued to class without talking to anyone, because, as usual, there was no one she could talk with.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Enjoy :)

That night in their room, Elphaba confronted Galinda on the idea of them being friends. "Miss Galinda?" She began.

"Yes, Miss Elphaba?" Galinda looked up from organizing her shoes, yet again.

"IF we are to be friends, I suppose I should know what you like to do." Elphaba sat on her bed, reading as usual. She held the book, one on Animals, on her lap and looked at the blonde boldly. The plan, of course, was for Galinda to back down and things to return to normal.

"Well," Galinda started, "I suppose I like what most girls our age do. I like to shop, to read romances, to talk with my friends about anything and everything…" She trailed off.

Elphaba's eyes had lit up. This was not the plan, but Galinda had mentioned reading. "You like to read?"

Galinda smiled a bit, "Not especially. I find the romances repetitive to be honest."

"That's what you're supposed to like then. Is that it?" Elphaba found she was a bit disappointed. "Because I could have told you that. I'm interested in what you like, Galinda, you as a person."

Galinda seemed to think on this for a moment, before saying, "I like buildings. Architecture. Here at Shiz, for example, one can date the buildings by their looks." She paused, "None of my other friends find that as fascinating as I do, though."

"I'll admit it isn't a passion of mine, but shouldn't your friends support your interests?" Elphaba asked honestly.

Again, Galinda considered this. "I suppose you're right there, Elphaba. Perhaps they should. Would you?"

"Yes. Would you tolerate my interest in the life sciences and Animals?"

"I suppose I would, as your friend."

The two girls smiled at one another for a moment and then Galinda stood, seeming to realize that she was still crouching at her shoes. The blonde approached Elphaba's bed and sat down.

"Why do you find the life sciences so interesting?"

It was the first question the friends had exchanged and Elphaba was more than happy to oblige an answer.

"I was raised by a devout minister, Galinda." Elphaba began. "I like to read about other perspectives, always have, and I find that I agree to a large extent with the theories about life and livelihood expounded in life science literature." She motioned to the book on her lap. "In this, for example, a theory of the evolution of Animals from animals is explained. No one knows the true answer and in the meantime we're left with room to speculate."

Galinda nodded. "That does sound interesting when you talk about it. I wish you gave our lectures."

Frowning, Elphaba said, "Are you having that much trouble with Dr. Dillamond then?"

"Yes," Galinda blushed. Thought there was a limit on how smart a woman was to be, in polite society, Galinda hated to be thought incompetent. "I'm not as dumb as some people seem to think, despite how I may act. I am getting good enough marks, but I did come here to learn."

"I thought you came to find a husband," Elphaba said with no judgment in her voice.

"That too, I suppose." Galinda sighed, "I'm the first from my area to attend college and my parents know I'll find a suitor eventually. Being here rather than at home has little effect on that whole affair. Shiz provides me with an opportunity to make friends, better myself and all that as well," she waved a hand dismissively.

Elphaba thought for a bit, flipping through the book she held. "Why don't we study together sometime? I could help you with the life science lectures."

"Would you?" Galinda was genuinely surprised. She'd hoped Elphaba would come around to the idea of them being friends, but this seemed too good to be true.

"Sure. Could you help me understand high society here at Shiz? I think it would be interesting to me if I could just grasp its importance and meaning."

Galinda smiled and patted Elphaba's bony knee. "Of course. I could make you popular you know, if you wanted that."

"One step at a time, Galinda." Elphaba smiled back.


End file.
